This invention relates to a connector assembly for electrically connecting a flat cable, a ribbon wire, FPC (flexible printed circuit) or like flat wire member, in which flat rectangular conductors are arrayed side by side, with a circuit board or the like, and also to an electrical connection structure for the flat wire member.
As a mounting structure of audio equipments and the like, for example, on an instrument panel of an automotive vehicle, it has been a general practice to vertically arrange a CD player, a MD (mini-disc) player, etc. and electrically connect circuit boards of the respective players by flat wire members such as flat cables.
Specifically, while a connector for circuit board is mounted on the circuit board of each player, conductors are exposed at an end of the flat cable; a mating connector connectable with the connector for circuit board is mounted on the exposed end of the flat cable; and the mating connector is fitted into the connector for circuit board to bring the respective conductors of the flat cable into contact with the respective terminals accommodated in the connector for circuit board, thereby electrically connecting the flat cable and the circuit board of each player.
As the above audio equipments to be installed in automotive vehicles have come to possess more functions in recent years, the number of the conductors of the flat cable has been on the increase.
Such an increase in the number of the conductors has become one of factors which increase a frictional resistance with the terminals during a flat cable connecting operation, thereby making the operation difficult and causing a connection error and the like. Accordingly, it is desired to solve such difficulties of the connecting operation. Even if such a problem is solved, production costs increase if the connector assembly comes to have a more complicated construction and the number of parts is excessively increased. Thus, this point needs to be considered.
It is an object of the invention to provide a connector assembly and an electrical connection structure which are free from the problems residing in the prior art.
According to an aspect of the invention, a connector assembly for a flat wire member comprises a first connector for accommodating terminals, and a plurality of second connectors to be mounted on an end of a common flat wire member. The first connector includes a plurality of connecting portions individually connectable with the plurality of second connectors. The terminals are so accommodated in the first connector as to be brought into contact with conductors of the flat wire member connected with the first connector via the respective second connectors connected with the connecting portions.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon a reading of the following detailed description and accompanying drawings.